1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a method and composition for providing a personally applied lubricant to prevent and stop itching and, more particularly, to a method and composition for preventing and stopping vaginal itching.
2. Description of Related Art
Vaginal itching is a common complaint of women. The products available at the present time take a consequential time period to be effective. Thus, discomfort will continue for a period of time after topical application of an existing product.
Vaginal itching is primarily from Candida albicans. Other Candida species may complicate the problem. A petroleum jelly product is presently widely used by women to help alleviate itching and discomfort. However, petroleum jelly may adhere to the vaginal walls and mask the early symptoms of an infection.
Previously, by the use of acidified hypochlorous acid, it has been shown that the resultant solution will kill virus forms including Herpes virus, Scrapie virus, and human immuno virus. .sup.1 While this solution may generate some chlorine dioxide, it is difficult to prepare and it is an inaccurate way to control dosage in situ. To provide a product which requires mixing of two solutions by the end user is commercially difficult and may result in an inaccurate and possibly unsafe preparation for human use. It is obvious to one skilled in the art that one has to have a product that is effective, does not require accurate chemical mixing in situ, and has shelf life stability for at least two years when sold commercially. Stabilized chlorine dioxide with sodium phosphate does not have these limitations. Consequently, a single stable solution capable of regulatory agency approval is far superior to the Alcide system described in the above referenced paper. FNT .sup.1 "The inhibitory effect of Alcide.RTM., an antimicrobial drug, on protein synthesis in Escherichia coli.", by Scatina J, Abdel-Rahman MS, Goldman E. J Appl Toxicol 1985 Dec; 5(6):388-94.
A widely used preparation sold over the counter under the trademark K-Y Jelly includes chlorhexidine and is considered an effective bactericide. It is considered by some a weak killer of polyanna virus but is generally considered not to be an effective viricide.